Almanzo – Distil

Almanzo Ward is a singer-songwriter from London, UK. His sophmore, Distil, is rather straightforward compared to the impressive discography of Almanzo, yet it’s an important step in Almanzo’s style. While Almanzo lacks in refinement on Distil, it still successfully showcases an admirable range of emotions.

There are some stunning moments on Distil. Sunset of the Dark displays a gorgeous use of saxophones. Not Just Anyone boasts an admirable atmosphere; much could be said about The Lip Liner, though the later is dragged down by tacky synth work. Benchmark Boy could have benefited from more progression; it’s core themes are coherent and rather alluring, though they lack structure or an end goal in mind. Maybe I Don’t Need This succeeds in Almanzo’s simple delivery, yet down to Earth approach. The Lost One is possibly the strongest track, with a solid delivery, as does the striking atmosphere of Cutting the Vena Amoris. There are many great moments through Distil, though unfortunately they are paired with an equal amount of filler.

Almanzo is an excellent musician with an incredible ability to convey emotions and evoke many feelings within the listener. While the themes and mood of his albums may be uncomfortable to listen to at times, they are incredibly authentic and commendably raw. Distil’s only fault is in line with much of Almanzo’s work; there’s very little quality control, and very little to differentiate between tracks. Moving forward, Almanzo should do his best to reduce the quantity of songs on his efforts, and focus more on the stronger tracks. Nevertheless, Distil is worth a listen.

Average

Listen to it here:

(The album has been removed)

Almanzo – Distil